Modern refrigerators commonly integrate the functionalities of storing food or other perishable objects at low temperature, and dispensing cubed ice and cold drinking water, etc. Some refrigerators can also heat up water supplied thereto, e.g., from an outside water source and dispense hot water responsive to user demands.
Typically, a refrigerator capable of dispensing hot water includes a storage container for storing water, a heating device for heating the water stored in the storage container, a control device for controlling the heating device, and a piping device for supplying water to the storage container and dispensing the water. Water is first supplied to the storage container from an outside water source, and heated to a predetermined temperature by the heating device. The heated water is maintained at the predetermined temperature by the control device in conjunction with the heating device. Then, the stored hot water is provided to a user through a dispenser upon a request.
In general, if a person has a degraded immune system or is otherwise ill, the person may have difficulty in maintaining his/her body temperature after consuming water of much lower or much higher temperature than the body temperature. Unfortunately, in a conventional refrigerator capable of supplying hot water, the water is usually heated to and maintained at a predetermined temperature which is often much higher than the body temperature. Thus, the heated water may not be suitable to drink for a user having a degraded immune system.